Founded - Integrated Ecosystem building from Start-up to Scale-Up

By project UnicornQuest

Published on 25 February 2025

Netherlands

Friesland (NL)

About this good practice

As of 2023, the Founded organization was built in the North of the Netherlands to built on a start-up scale-up ecosystem. The ecosystem is based on a few elements. One of the major points. Speak the same language. By using the start-up phase evaluation system of Gritd (4 phases of a start-up to scale-up with 12 milestones), all actors in the ecosystem evaluate start-ups in a similar way. Making it easy to determine the needs of each start-up. In that perspective, a start-up participating in acceleration program A can apply for another program B or apply for an investment at Fund X, it will receive a similar feedback and will be pushed to reach its next milestone (before admitting to a next acceleration program or receiving investment support). This leads to a more clear picture of the state of all start-ups in the North. The goal is to push start-ups to go to the scale-up phase and create a more substantial impact. As the number of scale-ups significantly falls behind the number of scale-ups in other parts of the Netherlands, it is essential that start-ups do not stop growth in their initial phase, but show ambition and push to a scale-up.
The Founded organization organizes many types of programs for future founders and for founders to stimulate start-ups. There are some acceleration programs and some coaching and mentoring systems to stimulate growth. The Founded in the North program is supported by the Municipalities in the North and by the 3 Provinces in the North .

Expert opinion

Founded in the North offers a strong example of how coordinated stakeholder efforts can significantly strengthen regional startup ecosystems and foster the transition from startups to scaleups. By unifying municipalities, provinces, and startup support organisations around a common evaluation framework (Gritd methodology), the initiative ensures that startups receive consistent, targeted support based on their specific growth phase. This clarity enables better resource allocation and drives startups to focus on reaching critical milestones toward scaling. For policymakers, this practice demonstrates how strategic alignment between different support organizations can unlock greater regional economic and competitiveness potential: scaleups, not just startups, are key drivers of high-value job creation, investment attraction, and innovation. With relatively modest resources, Founded in the North has already shown measurable impact, increasing both startup and scaleup numbers by 30% in two years. The model is highly transferable and provides a compelling case for regions aiming to build stronger, growth-focused entrepreneurial ecosystems through common methodologies and shared ambitions.

Luc Schmerber

Works at Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform

Resources needed

9 Million Euro. Money from various Municipalities, Provinces and ERDF/JTF sources. The entire organization in human resources working in Founded in the North is 11.

Evidence of success

Growth of the number of start-ups from 60 to 80 in two years time (30%). Growth of the number of scale-ups from 10 to 13 in two years time (30%). Application of the consistency scan in all participating organizations. Database of 150 start-ups including their start-up data.

Potential for learning or transfer

The major learning is that the choice for a similar methodology (Gritd) has elevated the understanding of support needed by start-ups and scale-ups. Too many companies were supported with instruments they could not use in the phase of growth they ware into. Much better care of each start-up is now organized and start-ups are treated with more focused support. This leads to increased focus of the owners to next milestones and creates more ambition of the founders to become more successfull. More founders choose a scale-up phase, creating more impact (jobs, investments) in the region.